State, Divisional level Monitoring Committees yet to start work
No matching response to fast spreading menace
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 8: Instead of giving matching response to the fast spreading menace, the Government is soft-paddling on the implementation of the Drug De-addiction Policy with the required vigour even after putting in place the mechanism at the State as well as Divisional level as a result of which anti-social elements are continuously spoiling the future of young generation.
The State Administrative Council vide Decision No.10/1/2019 dated January 4, 2019 accorded approval to the first ever Drug De-addiction Policy of the State and vide Order No.41-HME dated January 11, 2019 the same was adopted by the Government.
However, for nearly three months there was no focus on putting in place the implementation mechanism and the slackness in this regard on the part of concerned authorities was exclusively highlighted by EXCELSIOR in its edition dated March 6, 2019.
Thereafter, the General Administration Department vide Order No.354 dated March 7, 2019 accorded sanction to the constitution of State level and Divisional level Committees for the implementation of the Drug De-addiction Policy.
However, the implementation has remained confined to the official orders even six months after the approval to the policy by the State Administrative Council and three months after the establishment of three committees with representation of concerned departments and civil society members, who have been pressing hard for handling the menace with iron hands.
This can be gauged from the fact that neither any meeting of the State level Policy Implementation Monitoring Committee nor that of Divisional level De-addiction Centre Monitoring Committees has been convened till date by the Government, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
“Though as per the terms of reference, the State level Policy Implementation Monitoring Committee can meet twice in a year-once each in Jammu and Srinagar to suggest changes in the policy and to look for financial support for various de-addiction activities in the State yet keeping in view the enormity of the menace it should have held first meeting during the past three months to give proper direction to all the concerned authorities”, sources said.
Similarly, Divisional level De-addiction Centre Monitoring Committees should have met at least once to chalk out strategy to inspect the existing de-addiction facilities in the State and advise the stakeholders for implementation of the Drug De-addiction Policy on ground, sources said.
As per the terms of reference, these committees are required to grant or cancel licenses after thorough and proper inspection of infrastructure, manpower and standards of care of de-addiction facilities and look at monitoring of prescription drug abuse and suggest remedial measures to Drug Controller.
“We have only been given the copies of the orders regarding establishment of the State Level Policy Implementation Monitoring Committee and Divisional level Committees till date and none from the Health and Medical Education Department has so far approached us for holding deliberations”, said a number of Expert and other Members of these Committees when approached to ascertain the efforts made towards the implementation of Drug De-addition Policy in the State.
They, while wishing anonymity, admitted that prompt response was required from all the concerned quarters for giving practical shape to the provisions of the policy keeping in view the fact that the menace of drug addiction is still spreading at fast pace.
It is pertinent to mention here that Chief Secretary is the Chairman and Administrative Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department is the Vice-Chairman of the State level Policy Implementation Monitoring Committee while as Administrative Secretary of the Health and Medical Education Department is the Chairman of the Divisional level De-addiction Centre Monitoring Committees.
“Only awareness camps are being organized by the Health and Medical Education Department and other activities have yet not been started”, sources informed, adding “the slackness in implementation of the policy is notwithstanding the fact that it has been admitted by the Government that drug abuse has increased manifold and is fast proving malicious to the society by causing physical, psychological and intellectual decay”.
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